{"product_id":"hercules-rejects-pleasure-and-chooses-virtue-simon-gribelin","title":"Hercules Rejects Pleasure and Chooses Virtue - Simon Gribelin","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1713 engraving by Simon Gribelin depicting the classical allegory of Hercules choosing between Virtue and Pleasure, based on a painting by Paolo de Matteis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis engraving by Simon Gribelin, dated 1713, depicts the classical allegory of the Choice of Hercules. The composition centres on the hero, who stands in a contemplative posture, caught between two opposing figures. To his left, Virtue stands upright, gesturing towards a rugged path, while to his right, Pleasure reclines in a relaxed, inviting manner. The scene draws from the moral philosophy popularised during the early eighteenth century, particularly within the circle of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, to whom this print is dedicated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGribelin, a French engraver who spent much of his career in London, was known for his technical precision in reproducing paintings. This work is based on a painting by Paolo de Matteis. The engraving captures the dramatic contrast between the two female figures through varied line work and shading. Virtue is rendered with a sense of stability and purpose, her drapery falling in structured folds, whereas Pleasure is depicted with softer, more fluid lines, reflecting her indulgent nature. The background features a split environment, with a steep, rocky ascent behind Virtue and a more sheltered, wooded area behind Pleasure, reinforcing the narrative of the difficult path versus the easy one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe print includes a decorative border and a coat of arms at the base, characteristic of the formal presentation of such allegorical works in the period. The Latin and English inscriptions at the bottom provide the title and the dedication, situating the piece within the intellectual culture of the British aristocracy. The work demonstrates Gribelin's ability to translate the tonal qualities of oil paint into the monochromatic medium of engraving, using cross-hatching and stippling to define the musculature of Hercules and the textures of the surrounding foliage and fabric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/portrait-of-charles-i-of-england-anthony-van-dyck\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of Charles I of England - Anthony van Dyck — Anthony van Dyck\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/pastoral-landscape-with-the-ponte-molle-claude-lorrain\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePastoral Landscape with the Ponte Molle - Claude Lorrain — Claude Lorrain\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon Gribelin","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58736131244367,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58736314319183,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58736314351951,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58736314384719,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58736314417487,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58736314450255,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58736314483023,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58736314515791,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58736314548559,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58736314581327,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58736314614095,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58736314646863,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Hercules-Rejects-Pleasure-and-Chooses-Virtue_Poster_CompositorV1_1789038118378.jpg?v=1789039913","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/de\/products\/hercules-rejects-pleasure-and-chooses-virtue-simon-gribelin","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}